Wick-tube for alcohol-lamps.



G. NELSON.

WIGK TUBE FOR ALCOHOL LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB Patented Nov. 4, 1913'.

In Ven tor A ttomeys.

* unrrnn STATES ra'rmvr curios.

CHARLES NELSON, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO S. S'IEB-NAU & (30., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A COPABTNERSHIPCOMPOSED OF $IGMUND STERNAU AND LIONEL STRASSBUBGER.

VIICK-TUBE FOR ALCOHOL-LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. i, 1913.

Application filed February 28, 1907. Serial No. 359,750.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CnAnLns NELSON, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Vick-Tubes for Alcohol-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wick tubes for alcohol lamps, particularly for lamps of the type which are used in connection with chafing dishes, coflee machines and the like.

The objects of the invention are to produce a lamp in which the ordinary objection caused by the coating with lampblack or carbon of the asbestos portion of the wick is done away with.

Other advantages are to reduce the cost of the tube and increase its efliciency and the eficiency of the lamp.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a lamp embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a wick tube embodying my invention, Fig. 3 is a section thereof on the line aa, Fig. 2, and Fig. 4: is an elevation of a modified form of wick tube.

In all the views, like parts are designated by the same reference characters.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a metal tube 1 which is preferably closed at one end. Within this tube is a wick 2 of cotton and a wick 3 of asbestos, the asbestos filling the upper portion of the tube. The upper end of the tube 1 is empty. It constitutes the wick cap 4. This wick cap is preferably made integral with the rest of the tube by being stamped or spun. It is preferably provided with a row of upper holes 5 and a row of lower holes 6. Between the two rows of holes is an intermediate flange 7 and above the upper row of holes there may be an upper flange S, as shown in Fig. 2, but in some forms of lamps, as will be explained, this upper flange is not necessary. The flanges 7 and 8 may be spun to shape if desired. Below the lower holes are the wick openings 9 exposing the asbestos wick 3. When arranged within the fuel reservoir 10 the shield tube 11 is adapted to be elevated, for the purpose of regulating the flame, by covering the wick openings 9 and the lower holes 6 and it will engage with the intermediate flange 7, making a close joint therewith. The tube is inset at 12 forming an inwardly turned beading within which the holes 6 are made. Against this beading, a screen 13 rests, and is held upward in engagement with the heading by pressure of the asbestos wick 3. This screen 13 is for the purpose of preventing the asbestos wick entering the wick cap, and deflnitely and clearly determines its upper limits. The bottom of the wick tube 1 is provided with a screw-thread 14, which is adapted to engage with a threaded stud 15 formed in the bottom of the fuel reservoir of the lamp. The lower portion of the tube is provided with perforations 16 to permit entrance of alcohol into the wick tube.

In operation, the flame will be produced from the alcohol presented to the wick openings 9. A certain amount of alcohol will be evaporated and pass into the interior of the wick cap at and will pass out through the upper and lower holes 5 and 6 and will be ignited by the flame from the wick openings 9. After the lamp has been in operation for some time and the wick cap has become heated to its maximum intensity a steady flame will be produced from the holes 5 and 6 as well as from the wick openings 9.

To regulate the lamp, the shield tube 11 is raised so that its upper edge will mask or cover the wick openings. As these openings are gradually covered, the flame will be reduced. hen the openings are entirely covered, the flame will be much reduced and will consist entirely of burning gas generated within the wick cap and passing through the holes 5 and 6. When the sield tube is elevated so that its upper edge comes in contact with the intermediate flange, the lower holes 6 will be entirely covered and the only flame will be that of the gas which issues through the holes 5. The heat produced from the burninggas from the holes 5 should be such that the contents of the vessel which are being heated will be kept warm and will not be brought to a boil. This I secure by properly proportioning the amount of metal in the wick cap and regulating its shape.

In the wick holder shown in Fig. 2, the cap is provided with an upper flange 8 which overhangs the holes 5. In smaller lamps a wick tube, such as shown in Fig. l

will be provided, in which the upper flange of the cap is omitted; the amount of metal in the wick cap being very much reduced. Therefore, in the smaller lamp there is not enough metal in the cap to remain heated after the lower holes 6 are closed to cause an objectionable conversion of alcohol into gas within the cap and thereby produce too much flame. In a larger wick tube, such as is shown in Fig. 2, the upper flange 8 will be correspondingly enlarged, the object in every case being to so proportion the amount of metal within the cap that the conserved heat will not evaporate such a quantity of gas that too high a flame will be produced.

The intermediate flange 7 serves an addi tional useful purpose in diverting the flame from the wick openings 9 and lower holes 6 so that the flame will pass upward in true annular shape unbroken at any point.

By making the wick cap t with comparatively thin walls, as shown, and using comparatively large holes more vapor is given off and the pressure within the fuel reservoir 10 is correspondingly reduced.

I prefer to make the tube 1 of very thin material. I have used, with success, brass tubing of 30 Brown & Sharpe gage. This has two advantages, one being that it does not heat the lamp which results in an increased flame. A greater and more important advantage is that it reduces the cost very materially. I prefer to make the lamp of this very thin brass at one spinning with the thread 14: rolled, which is a very cheap construction. By stuffing in the wicks 3 and 2 at the factory a great degree of uniformity of product can be secured. One of the disadvantages of this form of lamp resides in the coating with lampblack or carbon of the asbestos wick 3. Heretofore so far as I am aware, no means has been satisfactorily produced for obviating this difliculty. I overcome this objection by making the tube of a very thin material which greatly reduces its cost. By this means they may be made and sold at a profit, for such a a small sum that the user of the lamp will find it to his advantage, after a wick becomes coated with lamp blaek or carbon, to remove the wick tube and throw it away, substituting a new wick tube with a wick already in place. This wick tube therefore with the wick in place constitutes a new article ofmanufacture which can be produced at a sufliciently low cost to make it worth while for the owner of the lamp to purchase a new one instead of attempting to repack a used tube. Many alcohol lamps are condemned where the consumer endeavors to repack the wick tube, as it is practically impossible for a layman to obtain the desired results, unless he is thoroughly familiar with the requirements of repacking.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to repre sent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that the invention can be carried out in other ways.

Having now particularly described my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A wick tube for an alcohol lamp, formed of sheet metal, with one end closed, forming a cap of metal of substantially the same thickness as the sides of the tube, an inset beading adjacent to the closed end, a screen engaging against the beading on the side opposite to the closed end of the tube, and a wick tightly packed within the tube, and in contact with the screen.

This specification signed and witnessed this fifteenth day of February, 1907.

CHARLES NELSON.

Vitnesses J N0. R0131. TAYLOR, LEONARD H. DYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

